I’m a week into this blasted cold and still not having any fun. There is NO WAY I can even attempt a run, or any cardio of any kind. My head is stuffy and the goo has made its way into my bronchials. When I lie down at night, a persistent tickle occurs and I cough incessantly. (Pity my poor husband, who’s a light sleeper. I left the room last night but he still heard me coughing.)
All that being said, I’m not convinced I need an antibiotic yet. I took some cough medicine this morning and a decongestant, and plan to leave it at that for the moment.
So my big question is, when do YOU know you need antibiotics? What’s the defining moment when you finally throw in the towel and say “I’m not getting any better, I must have a bacterial infection.”
I tend to wait until I feel like death warmed over (this takes about 10 days to fully kick in), and then it’s another week of recovering from that snot-induced, cough-racking place where I’m utterly exhausted and worn down. And, how does a person keep the virus from turning bacterial? I know I’m a slow learner, but I’m still trying to find that magic tipping point and keep myself on the viral side of things. So far, not working so well. Do I keep trying, or is that the very definition of insanity, to keep doing the same thing and expect different results?
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Partly Cloudy
I hope you feel better soon!! I tend to give it a week to 10 days before I head into the dr to see if I need antibiotics.
Kim
Anything longer than 3 days and I’m at my drs office. I figure, I pay for insurance, so I may as well make use of it…and why suffer, when drugs can make me better faster (or at the very least, make me feel more comfortable).
I also tend to over-indulge on Jamba Juice Coldbusters. Probably a total mental thing, but it always seems to make me feel better.
That being said, please take care of yourself and hope you feel better soon!
I hope you feel better soon!
So sorry you’re still feeling sick!
I’m really bad… I tend to wait way too long before heading to a doctor. For me, once it moves into my chest is when I’m pretty much guaranteed that it’s turned bacterial. And still I stubbornly wait before going to get antibiotics.
I hope you can get some relief soon!
Lara,
I just finished antibiotics for a sinus infection that I thought was winter seasonal allergies at first and then a cold and then just wasn’t getting better. I kept waiting for fever, horrible sore throat, wheezing, etc. but it never happened. Doctor said some sinus infections are just cold symptoms that just never go away.
I think most colds get better in about a week. Feel better soon!
I tend to wait too. Make sure your cough medication is DM so it’s actually breaking up the congestion and not just suppressing the cough. This, combined with a decongestant like Extra Strength Dimetapp might help keep you out of the doctor’s office. The rule of thumb, though, is 3 to 5 days w/ no relief = a professional review.